Last month, the German election campaign saw an unexpected statement by the leader of Germany’s liberals, Christian Lindner. The chair of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) – a centre-right force hitherto known for its hawkish stance in support of international law and all-European integration – proposed accepting Russia’s annexation of Crimea as a “permanent provisorium”. But, while this was unusual, Lindner only expressed a view which can be heard among many politicians, diplomats, and journalists in Germany and other Western countries. In fact, Lindner has – at least within the German political context – not been the most accommodative towards Kremlin expansionism.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
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Andreas Umland: Kremlin narratives on Crimea resurface in German election debate
A campaign poster featuring leader of the Free Democrats (FDP) and main candidate in upcoming parliamentary elections Christian Lindner hangs outside the FDP headquarters in Berlin on Sept. 11.
